Batmen Down Defending Eastern League Champs

The squad has only played two Eastern Intercollegiate Baseball League (EIBL) games, but already the Harvard baseball team finds itself alone at the top.

In a twinball yesterday at Annapolis, Md. the Crimson bested defending EIBL champion Navy in the opener, 5-3, before playing the Midshipmen to a 3-3 tie in the darkness-shortened nightcap.

The batmen's Saturday doubleheader at Princeton was rained out.

The team upped its overall mark to 9-1-1, and its 1-0-1 EIBL slate is the only spotless ledger in the league. Navy--now 19-6-2 overall, 7-2-1 in league play--split a doubleheader with Yale last week. The Elis and the Midshipmen were preseason picks to battle the Crimson for the league title.

If Harvard gets more pitching like Bill Larson's stellar effort in yesterday's opener, it should prove a difficult team to beat. Larson allowed no earned runs en route to a complete-game victory, his fourth win of the year. The senior right hander fared six while giving up just six hits.

The batmen wasted no time giving Larson a lead. Leadoff man Bruce Weller walked and Brad Bauer followed suit. Then Ed Farrell who started the day with a three-game home run string, nearly extended his streak to four-blasting a ball deep into the power alley in left-center. The ball bounced up against the fence, both baserunners scored and Farrell wound up at second.

After that outburst all remained quiet until the bottom of the fourth when Navy's Mike Nichols started things off with a single. A Tony DrCesare error allowed Mid-shipman Rick Wilson to reach first, and Tom Baker chipped in an RBI single. After a walk loaded the bases, Tony Rodgers doubled to give the Midshipmen a 3-2 lead.

But Harvard bounced back with three runs in the fifth Weller and Bauer walked again, and Farrell's single loaded the bases. Weller gave Harvard a 4-3 lead when he scored from third on a wild pitch. It looked like Navy would get out of the inning when Vinnie Martelli couldn't get a bunt down on a suicide squeeze attempt and Bauer was caught off third. But catcher Bob Baldocchi's throw hit Bauer's helmet, and the Harvard captain brought home the final run.

By the third inning of the nightcap, storms swept the field and the Crimson was building an early lead. Elliott Rivera singled to right, Bauer doubled to left, and Farrell, who went four-for-seven on the day, came through with the RBIs once again. The senior first baseman belted a double to center that scored both runners. Farrell moved to third when Martelli flew out, then scored on a Baldocchi-passed ball to lift the batmen to a 3-0 advantage. Harvard, 5-3 at Annapolis, Md. Harvard  200  030  0--5  6  1 Navy  000  300  0--3  6  2

H--Larson and Martelli; N--Michael, Vogel (5), Wild (5), Eustace (6) and Baldocchi. WP--Larson (4-0); LP--Michael (5-2). Harvard, 3-3 Second Game Harvard  003  000--3  7  1 Navy  000  120--3  5  2

H--Musselman, Brown (5) and Martelli N--Tanner and Baldocchi, Horney (6).

Records--H 9-1-1 overall, 1-0-1 EIBL; N 19-6-2 overall, 7-2-1 EIBL.

H--Larson and Martelli; N--Michael, Vogel (5), Wild (5), Eustace (6) and Baldocchi. WP--Larson (4-0); LP--Michael (5-2). Harvard, 3-3 Second Game Harvard  003  000--3  7  1 Navy  000  120--3  5  2

H--Musselman, Brown (5) and Martelli N--Tanner and Baldocchi, Horney (6).

Records--H 9-1-1 overall, 1-0-1 EIBL; N 19-6-2 overall, 7-2-1 EIBL.

H--Musselman, Brown (5) and Martelli N--Tanner and Baldocchi, Horney (6).

Records--H 9-1-1 overall, 1-0-1 EIBL; N 19-6-2 overall, 7-2-1 EIBL.